diff --git a/builtin/update-ref.c b/builtin/update-ref.c
index f6345e525..a8a68e8a5 100644
--- a/builtin/update-ref.c
+++ b/builtin/update-ref.c
@@ -14,7 +14,7 @@ static const char * const git_update_ref_usage[] = {
 
 static int updates_alloc;
 static int updates_count;
-static const struct ref_update **updates;
+static struct ref_update **updates;
 
 static char line_termination = '\n';
 static int update_flags;
diff --git a/refs.c b/refs.c
index 196984e12..1305eb1fc 100644
--- a/refs.c
+++ b/refs.c
@@ -3306,7 +3306,7 @@ static int ref_update_reject_duplicates(struct ref_update **updates, int n,
 	return 0;
 }
 
-int update_refs(const char *action, const struct ref_update **updates_orig,
+int update_refs(const char *action, struct ref_update * const *updates_orig,
 		int n, enum action_on_err onerr)
 {
 	int ret = 0, delnum = 0, i;
diff --git a/refs.h b/refs.h
index a713b34ad..08e60ac07 100644
--- a/refs.h
+++ b/refs.h
@@ -228,7 +228,7 @@ int update_ref(const char *action, const char *refname,
 /**
  * Lock all refs and then perform all modifications.
  */
-int update_refs(const char *action, const struct ref_update **updates,
+int update_refs(const char *action, struct ref_update * const *updates,
 		int n, enum action_on_err onerr);
 
 extern int parse_hide_refs_config(const char *var, const char *value, const char *);